Reverse the Stars
by Concetta
Summary: My take on a long epilogue for "The Rise of Skywalker", heavily edited since first publishing for clean up and better flow purposes.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note: _

_So, everything was pretty awesome (never as awesome as the original Lucas movies, but just within the new generation franchise, pretty good), except for some moments at the end. I think it would've been much more powerful for Ben to keep living that redeemed life out, but I guess they did that to reflect Anakin's turnaround from Vader at the end of "Return of the Jedi". Still, why did they have to lip-lock and then Ben have that beautiful, sweet smile then die? Agh. I think it would have been better as a gentle "goodbye" kiss initiated on Ben's part to leave Rey's face a mixture of surprise and wonder and confusion._

_But, I get it. I get it._

_Still . . . "agh!" I wasn't even a Ben/Rey shipper because I always assumed that they would turn out to be cousins or something, but now that they were revealed not to be blood-related I'll have to re-watch the series with new eyes. Also, on a side note, I hope Adam Driver gets best actor, at least nominated. Everyone is praising Rey and Daisy Ridley (she is a phenomenal actress) but I really feel like Adam stole the show. I feel like he ran a fuller gamut of emotions then she, just by nature of the character he played. I totally believed his transformation back to Ben._

_Anyway, here's my take on if they had a little short movie after the final credits rolled-an epilogue if you will. Happy New Year!_

. . . . . .

Chapter 1

Sand went shooting up through the circular courtyard of the sunken-earth dwelling like a plume of smoke funneling out of a chimney-much to the consternation of the stray passer-by who, after witnessing the phenomena, hurried their mount-of-choice on.

The rumors of the ruined Lars farmstead being haunted revived again in the nearest villages. It was not long before one old crone, who remembered the original family, piped up to let them know that she had met the new, much alive, inhabitant.

While the old woman was being peppered with questions in the local tavern Rey was still expelling sand from every cranny of the white stucco building she could.

It was surprisingly refreshing to be focusing on something so small as renovating a dwelling. The galaxy—for now—was not falling apart.

Only a house.

BB-8 was doing his part, whistling and humming as he rolled around the cleared spaces, beeping with delight as he joined Rey in her cursory examination of the old technology that made up the working side of the homestead.

Rey's eyes traveled up to the top of the spindle-like apparatus that dominated the center of the courtyard. She closed her eyes and with the Force made a quick survey of the inner workings of the system. Rey could feel the tension in her body slipping away as she looked at all the wires and drives and boards. She still loved mechanics. Solid, logical mechanics.

From the looks of things, it would be an undertaking of many days, shorter perhaps if she used the Force to repair it, but she was determined not to. Rey needed to make use of her hands; to physically handle the pieces and parts. After all the chaos of trying to make sense of intangibilities, she needed time with the tangible. She needed to re-ground herself and rebuild her identity, folding in all she had learned over the past few years.

An eager chirp from BB-8 brought her mind back out of the machines and the past. Rey puckered her lips and blew out a long breath.

"I know, BB-8. I'm just as excited as you are to bring these old vaporators back to life. But I'm afraid they will have to wait until tomorrow. Tonight we need to clean-out a space to sleep in.

There was another reason Rey was anxious for busy-work . . .

Rey had always prided herself on a tough exterior, wanting to be strong for herself and those she newly loved dear. How could she process her grief?

Leia's passing was a deep sorrow, but it been expected. Rey had sensed the General's life-force was already ebbing before she left her side. Leia used the last of her strength to cross the distance, plunge her hand into the deep, dark waters of the well of her son's soul, past Kylo Ren, to where Ben resided and pulled him to the surface.

Although devasted by her loss, Rey felt happy for her because she was at peace and reunited with Luke.

But . . .

_Oh, Ben . . ._

The look Rey had seen on Ben's face and the aspect of his eyes on her soul's returning was imprinted on her mind forever—his eyes, shy but clear, warm and shining, full of relief and happiness.

The kiss had been an impulse on her part and had taken her by surprise. Somehow, beneath all the feelings of antagonism and fear, a seed of love had grown in the dark—a love she did not fully understand—for the good man she could sense trapped inside the monster cultivated by the Dark Side.

The way Ben shyly ducked his head after their lips had parted, the dimple-revealing smile and the sight of relief that escaped him had melted Rey's heart and filled her with a joy that seemed to pulse new strength into her tired limbs.

He was free.

Then all too soon the sweet pleasure had turned to bitterness in her stomach as she saw and felt the warmth of his body slip away to the ground and disappear from her sight.

Rey had been numb with shock ever since. She had faked a smile all throughout the Resistance's victory celebrations. Her grief over a late enemy of the Resistance would not be understood, much less tolerated.

In the silence of Tatooine at twilight, a shudder spread out from Rey's core to the rest of her body, bringing her to her knees. And so she wept.

BB-8 hovered anxiously for a few minutes before rolling up to nudge her in the thigh.

"It's alright, BB-8," she murmured, patting the droid with a trembling hand.

Exhausted, Rey relaxed her body and let herself fall over onto her side, her knees still curled up against her chest. The solidity of the packed-earth floor against her cheek and the length of her body was oddly comforting. The shuddering breath, the product of her spent tears, kicked up tiny plumes of dust just beyond her nose. She absently watched the dust rise and fall for a few minutes before her eyes drifted closed.

"Be with me . . . Ben . . ."

. . . . . . . . . . .

" _. . . Ben."_

_Rey . . ._

Ben Solo was only vaguely aware of tingling sensation on his lips, the last sensations of a love that, although it begun its life in a dark place once brought into the light had been made into something pure and lovely, like Rey herself.

_Rey . . ._

Ben opened his eyes just a little at first, but when he saw his uncle's face sharpening into view, he opened his eyes wide and pushed himself up. He felt warm stone underneath his hands and saw that he was in a sort of lush garden in a courtyard of an unidentified palace. Wherever it was it reminded him of the palaces of Alderaan that his mother once described to him. The sound of flowing water was coming from . . . somewhere . . .

"_Ben."_

"_Uncle . . . ?"_

The old Jedi knelt beside him and, placing his weathered hands on either side of Ben's face, touched his forehead to his.

"_Well done, my apprentice."_

Tears welled up and burned Ben's eyes; deep remorse for all the evil he had done and could not undo sunk into him. The love and compassion that was he was being shown by one of those he hurt the most further undid him.

Luke took Ben by the hand and raised him up, taking him to an elegantly carved stone bench in a nearby alcove.

As Ben sat down another and even more familiar figure stepped out from a pergola covered in _arallutes_-a beloved flower native to Alderaan-from whose seeds Leia had once fashioned a baby rattle for Ben.

Luke rose from the bench in deference to his sister. Leia quickly descended on Ben, wrapping him in a tight embrace.

"_Mom . . ."_

A deep sigh escaped from Ben's lips as an overwhelming sense of belonging swept through him and he felt more "himself" than had in years.

Leia leaned away to cup his face in her hands and look into his eyes.

"_There's my baby," _she whispered.

Ben dropped his gaze, unable to bear love in Leia's eyes while he still felt so much shame for how he treated her. Tears coursed down his cheeks and he tried to shake his head with his next words but Leia's hands firmly continued to cradle his face.

"_Don't forgive me. I don't deserve it."_

"_No, you don't." _Came a new voice. "_None of us do."_ A young man with shoulder-length sandy brown locks and the long robe of a Jedi master stood before the bench. Ben instinctively rose to his feet. He did not recognize the face but he knew in his spirit that he was in the presence of his grandfather at last.

Ben's mouth opened but no words would come. Anakin Skywalker stepped closer. Ben looked into his sad blue eyes a little longer then looked away.

"_I, more than anyone, Ben, know exactly how you are feeling right now. But this is the very nature of forgiveness, is it not? The natural consequences that may come as a result of our sins are not done away with, but the sword of vengeance is put away."_

Before Ben's eyes, his grandfather's appearance changed from the young man of twenty-four years to the old man of seventy-eight.

Anakin tenderly placed a palm on Ben's head then brushed his hand down to cup the young man's jaw, then lastly dropped it to grasp his shoulder. It was as if he was acknowledging all the stages of his grandson's life that he had missed and silently apologizing.

"_My work in life was complete when I sacrificed myself for Luke,"_ Anakin turned his head to share a warm look with his son before turning back to Ben. "_Yours is not."_

Ben's gaze snapped up and he frowned with confusion at his grandfather. Then a fourth, ancient voice came from down near Ben's feet:

_"Young Solo . . ."_

Ben looked down to see a wizened old creature with long ears that tapered out from the sides of its balding, grey-green head. He knew by description that this must be Master Yoda. He hastily dropped to one knee before the small figure out of respect, and also to be eye-level with him.

"_Destined to die there Young Palpatine was."_

Ben almost lost his balance. "_What?"_

"_To enact the great reversal of the Sith legacy she was destined." _Yoda clarified. "_Through her defiance of the Dark Side, purified the Palpatine line did Rey, and through her death brought that bloodline to an end. At least, _that _is how we understood it. Presumed much we did. How mysterious are the ways of the Force."_

_"With the help of the Force," Anakin explained. "You worked two reversals in one day: the rebirth of Ben Solo and the change of Rey's fate. Your sacrifice restored life. The Force now gives back the life freely given."_

Ben sucked in a breath, his emotions see-sawing between hope and dreadful doubt.

Before Ben could express his thoughts one last familiar voice appeared. "_That girl thinks she's supposed to go it alone . . ." _Ben turned his face from Anakin and Yoda to his father sitting next to Leia, his arm draped comfortably over her shoulder and Leia leaning into him. " _. . . She wants to live like a hermit out in the middle of Tatooine." _Han nudged Luke's leg with the toe of his boot. "_Like some _farm boy_."_

Luke bit back a smile and gently kicked Han's foot away.

Worried thoughts for Rey and general confusion played over Ben's face as he took in all this new information.

"_Admittance by association," _said Han, sensing _one_ of Ben's many questions, his arm was still draped over Leia, but his palms were open to indicate her and Luke.

"_I think Ben is beginning to get the point, he's not as dense as you, Han,"_ said Leia with a gentle smirk. "_He has _me _to thank for that."_

Han put a hand over his heart in mock distress. "_You wound me, your worship."_ A rueful smile then spread across the former smuggler's face indicating he silently agreed.

A fond smile tugged at Ben's lips as he observed this trio of parents and uncle-who had begun to banter again-relishing this moment of seeing them without their burdens, and, at the same time wondering what they _were _all getting at concerning Rey and himself because he was _not_ catching on at all. Perhaps he did take more after his father then they gave him credit for . . .

"_Point is, son," Han said. "_She _needs you. They all do."_

"_But what more could I possibly_ do _for her? For any of them? I was a monster."_

Luke spoke up. "_There are still many pockets of First Order loyalists out there." The shattered Republic is extremely vulnerable as it begins the process of reassembling those pieces. The diminished First Order now has its own brand of resistance and will be looking to strike."_

"'_A cave sketto with clipped wings can still bite.'_ Anakin said.

"_What is that? Some sort of Jedi idiom?" _Han asked, beating Ben to it.

"_No, Han, it's an old saying on Tatooine."_ Luke replied, sharing a grin with his father.

"_Of _course _it is,"_ Han said rolling his eyes.

_Ben . . ._

Ben started at the sound of Rey's voice echoing inside his head again.

Anakin gave Ben's shoulders a gentle squeeze. _"She's calling you."_ He then leaned and said in a low voice, "_You cannot undo the past, but you_ can _redeem the future._ Repent and live, Ben Solo."

. . . . .

The next sensation of which Ben was aware was that of cool sand pressing against his skin. The gritty feel of this sand continued down the entire length of his body where, Ben realized, it should have been interrupted by clothes. He cautiously opened one eye and saw that he was indeed as naked as he feared. Ben opened his other eye to find that he was lying in the middle of a vast desert plain. Dawn appeared to be just breaking, a soft purple-blue light coloring the sand and sky. The gently undulating horizon was broken by a modest stucco structure-feet from where he lay-the domed roof and rounded edges a reflection of the sloping dunes.

Ben, who had been curled up in a fetal position, now moved his hands down to shield his most vital parts, keeping his eye trained on the closed door of the dwelling, praying that-if it _was_ indeed inhabited-whoever eventually come out was male, or of an entirely different species so that, either way, Ben's unusual state would make no difference to it.

Fear, shock, surprise, happiness, and absolute mortification sliced through Ben all at once as he was suddenly aware of Rey's presence behind that door. He wanted to see her again, but not like this! He wanted to jump to his feet and run but did not move for fear of further exposing himself. All he could do was stare at Rey who was standing in the now open doorway-her hands braced against the frame for support-her wide-eyes a match for his.

"Hello." He said lamely in a desperate bid to break the painfully prolonged silence from Rey.

Rey's mouth opened and closed, but still, no sound came out. She took two shaky steps towards him then stopped and turned back into the house, leaving Ben alone outside for an awkward moment.

Ben briefly feared that she would not come out again, but soon Rey reappeared with a large woolen blanket in her arms, dashing across the sand and nearly tripping in her haste to get to him.

"B-Ben!" Rey hoarsely choked out as she draped the blanket over him.

Under the safety of his new covering, Ben sat up and with trembling fingers anxiously assisted Rey in wrapping the blanket more securely about his body. The moment their fingers brushed Rey and Ben froze and slowly met each other's gaze. In that moment they both internally felt something happen, as if the entire galaxy had shifted; and like the final puzzle piece finding its place, the universe seemed to be filled with a sense of satisfaction and solidity.

"It's balanced . . ." Rey breathed with a look of wonder. "At last."

Ben puckered his lips and let out a long breath. Then slowly he brought his hands up to cradle Rey's face. Rey shyly lowered her eyes under the warmth of his gaze. A sense of well-being spread throughout Ben's body along with the physical heat from the rising twin suns spreading up his bare back.

_His bare back . . ._

Ben suddenly realized that, in reaching for Rey, he had let go of the blanket, allowing it to slip off his shoulders to pool into his lap and around his waist. He snatched the edges of the blanket back up to cover his bare torso, after which he self-consciously cleared his throat and dipped his head. He knew a blush was traveling up his face and wished he could stop it.

Rey found his humble embarrassment irresistibly sweet. She again thought of the kiss they had shared the day before, then it was her turn to blush and clear her throat. She shook her head and attempted to adopt a more brisk, business-like attitude: "Let's get you inside before we give my neighbors more to gossip about."

With Rey's assistance, Ben rose to his feet, making sure the blanket was securely in place this time. Finally sensed the eyes on that had been trained on his back for some time and looked over his shoulder to see a small band of passing Jawas staring unabashedly at them.

"Move along already," Ben shouted over his shoulder. "This isn't a show!"

The Jawas turned to each other and in their language said "let's move along already, this isn't a show." They then shrugged their shoulders and resumed their progress, bandying ribald comments back and forth, looking forward to sharing what they had seen with their fellow patrons at the Cantina.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Ben paced around the inner courtyard, clutching the blanket to his body. Rey was off hunting to see if any clothing was left behind, stashed away somewhere. Except for the old traces of Imperial destruction, the homestead's interior was surprisingly untouched by vandals. It's remoteness and superstitious locals were to thank for that.

Suddenly something like a faint snatch of conversation sailed passed his ears. He turned around, tuning his senses to clarify the sound.

"Ben?"

Rey was looking at him, her head slightly tilted to one side, wearing an expression of gentle inquiry.

"It's . . . nice to be here," Ben said lamely, not knowing what else to say.

"It is." Rey concurred, putting up a hand towards the clear blue sky, palm out against the early morning sunshine that was working its way into the courtyard. Rey turned her eyes back to Ben to find him watching her contentedly.

When did it change from being a self-appointed mission on behalf of the Skywalker clan to a more personal mission?

Rey felt deeply for Ben, of that there was no doubt. Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, and Princess Leia had been her idols growing up, so, it naturally followed that when Kylo Ren's true identity was revealed, a desire to restore him to his proper place in the Skywalker legacy took hold, out of love for those heroes. But the murdering of his own father, her idol, Han Solo, seemed to kill any compassion she had felt for him. She was disturbed when a Force connection developed that neither of them understood. It was in _those_ moments she began to detect Ben, a dim light, like a star shining through a thin cloud-hazy-but still there. It was then her determination to restore Ben was renewed.

And now?

There were two things Rey _did_ know . . .

One: she was _infinitely_ glad to have Ben alive and she wanted him to stay, to get to know Ben Solo.

Two: Ben's feelings for her. _They_ were crystal clear. Even now she could sense them reaching out to her across the courtyard.

Rey had never been in love, nor had been the object of anyone's affection (that she knew of). And, without her parents, there had been no one to explain to her about . . . any of it. The scant knowledge that Rey possessed, through accidental observation and overheard off-color comments, had been of the amorous habits of the various denizens of Jakku.

But of her own kind, she was ignorant.

The kiss she gave Ben had been on impulse, fueled by joy and relief—hence, it's abrupt awkwardness. The high, intense emotions of the moment had influenced her actions, beyond her real baseline feelings.

But, then again, the fact that she had kissed him at all must mean she secretly had wanted something deeper than just fellowship all this time. Right?

She wished _someone_ would tell her.

Rey _had _experiencedthe fellowship she had longed for with Ben when they faced her grandfather together, albeit a brief one.

Her _grandfather . . ._

Rey shut that train of thought down. She was not ready to even _begin_ to process that one . . .

"I . . . couldn't find anything," she stammered. "So, I'm going into town to purchase some garments . . ."

Ben gave her a serene smile.

"I'll be right here."

Rey's expression went from unsure to worried. She was loath to have him out of her sight.

"I don't like leaving you alone."

Ben's smile took on an ironic curve. "You're not."

* * *

Ben ran a hand along the circular wall of the courtyard, letting his fingers gently drag over the rough surface. He closed his eyes and slowly, as if he had opened his eyes again, his surroundings came back into view. Out of the corner of his vision a stout lady with kind, large cerulean eyes came out of the kitchen nook.

"_Luke! How long does it take one boy to pick squash blossoms? Luke!"_

The soft sound of moccasined feet came padding up behind Ben and the figure of his uncle passed through him.

Luke's hair was longer, more the length of Ben's now, and the color of Tatooine sand; his legs still had the gangly movements of a boy.

"_Yeah?"_

"_My squash blossoms?"_

Luke brought his hand to his forehead in a forgetful gesture.

"_Oh, I'm sorry, Aunt Beru! Biggs came speeding by and we got talking. He was telling me about the new power converters that came in at Tash's Station, and I was hoping-"_

"_Well, if you want lunch before you go gallivanting off with your friends you had better march right back out there and get me the squash blossoms I asked for."_

"_Yes, ma'am." _Luke turned and hustled back outside.

Aunt Beru clucked her tongue in exasperation, but the gaze that followed Luke was full of fondness.

Darkness suddenly overtook the scene and Ben felt himself hit the ground. He had overextended himself in drawing out the imprints of the past. Too much too soon.

* * *

"Are you sure this is it?" Finn asked giving old Lars homestead a doubtful once-over.

"Well, the signal from Luke's x-wing is pinging here." Poe said, looking down at his tracker. " And that's the last vehicle she was seen using. I'm getting a signal from BB-8, too; that droid's attached to her like a _mynock_ to an _exogorth_, the little traitor."

"That's a disgusting analogy."

Poe shrugged, unapologetic. "First one that came to mind."

"Should we knock?"

Poe started forward. "Well, it's either that or stand out here and stare at an abandoned farmhouse."

Finn dashed to the door-anxious to see Rey, if she was indeed there. He lifted his hand to knock, but then froze.

"What's up?" Poe asked on seeing Finn's sudden hesitation. When he did not receive an immediate answer he reached out to knock on the door himself; Finn shot out an arresting arm.

Poe became immediately alert. He had noticed that Finn-while clearly not on the same level as Rey- had some sort of Force . . . sense . . . thing . . . going for him. And clearly it was going for him right now. "What is it?"

Finn turned his head and tilted it to one side as if focusing on a distant sound.

"There's something, or someone in there that's familiar . . ."

"Yeah. Rey."

"No . . . . Not Rey. It almost feels like . . . but, it _couldn't_ be . . ."

"What?"

Finn's gazed suddenly snapped up to Poe's.

"We need to break down the door!"

"_What?!_"

* * *

A faintly familiar voice calling Rey's name came filtering through Ben's sluggish brain as he slowly regained consciousness. He recalled that, as Kylo Ren, he had not liked that voice.

As Ben he still didn't.

"_Rey! _Rey!"

Ben opened his eyes in time to see FN-2187 stumble into the courtyard, and hot on his heels was someone he vaguely recalled interrogating. But no . . . that was not the most recent instance. He had seen his face in the mind of his former stormtrooper captain. The famous Resistance Pilot.

A headache was beginning to form behind Ben's eyes, made worse by Finn screaming.

"H-H-HOW ARE YOU ALIVE?! WHERE'S REY?!" Finn looked frantically about, his eyes wide with utter confusion and panic. He then gestured at Ben with his blaster, at last noticing another notable factor. "_ARE YOU NAKED UNDER THAT?! _WHY ARE YOU NAKED?! WHERE'S REY?!"

Poe made no noise during this one-way conversation. He just stared, his eyes wide with fear. The memory of the traumatizing, soul-twisting interrogation at Kylo Ren's hands came back to Poe as fresh as if it were yesterday. He pointed his blaster at Ben as well, but his hands were shaking. With his free hand he reached for the transceiver attached to his belt.

"This is acting General Poe Dameron requesting assistance, anyone in range?"

Ben put a hand up in what was meant to be a conciliatory gesture. That had turned out to be an unwise move since it was reminiscent of when he would aim energy from the Dark Side of the Force at a target.

On seeing that infamous gesture Finn panicked and pulled the trigger.

Both Finn and Poe expected to Kylo Ren to stop the blaster bolt like they had seen him do before. But he did not, at least not entirely. He had slowed it down just as it approached his hand. But he could not stop it completely.

Ben cried as the bolt touched his flesh and slowly began to sink into it. Poe and Finn watched, frozen with stunned horror; the sound of flesh slowly searing turning their stomachs.

"_BEN!_"

Finn and Poe turned to see Rey running out of the corridor behind them, dropping parcels as she passed them. Rey made a swiping gesture and the blaster bolt went flying away to the right, harmlessly hitting the wall.

Rey knelt down in front of Ben and gently took his damaged hand, and just as Finn and Poe had witnessed on Pasaana, she healed it.

When Rey was done she turned blazing eyes on her friends. Although a part of her could understand their actions and see their perspective, her righteous anger won out.

"He's no longer Kylo Ren! He's a good man now and he's on our side!"

Finn looked as if Rey had slapped him.

"_What?_"

Poe, on the other hand, was regarding Ben with a tentatively thoughtful expression.

Ben knew the situation was reminding Poe Dameron of someone, and that was what made the pilot pause.

"He's no longer a slave to the Dark Side," Rey continued, "he is of the Light again!."

Finn's face was grim and did not seem to hear her. He was thinking of all the destruction and chaos this man had put him and the galaxy through; in his mind swirled the voices of the dying and left behind, crying out in grief and pain, Rey's included. Finn felt tears rise to his eyes.

"No," he said through gritted teeth, trying to keep his voice steady. "I don't believe it."

"Finn, _please_."

Finn's finger went to the trigger and a tear slipped down his cheek.

"Move, Rey."

Rey's eyes were wide and pleading, anguished conflict clear on her face as she considered her friend. "_Finn_, _please_ . . ."

Rey's pursuance of the path of a Jedi had already seemed to put an unconscious barrier between them, like she was somehow on a higher plane than Finn, just out of reach. If she stretched out her hand against him with the Force-even if only to shield-in defense of one who had been his worst enemy, she knew it would cause their friendship irreparable damage.

Tears began to prick Rey's eyes as she slowly, reluctantly, began to raise her hand from her lap, gathering energy around it.

Suddenly Ben's larger one closed over hers. Her focus whipped back to Ben in surprise. He gave her a small, reassuring smile, then turned his attention to Poe and Finn.

"I'll go with you."

"No-" Ren started to cry out, but Ben suddenly leaned forward and pressed a soft, brief, farewell kiss on Rey's lips. She stilled in surprise and was vaguely aware of a strangled noise coming from Finn.

"I must face the consequences," Ben murmured when he pulled away from her. "Either now or later. Might as well be now." A faint teasing grin lifted up the corner of his mouth. " . . . Before I get too attached."

Even though tears spilled down Rey's cheeks she found herself returning his smile.

Ben then rose to his feet, leaving Rey kneeling on the ground, looking after him.

Suddenly a voice came from Poe's transceiver.

"Copy General Dameron, this is Red Four, we're escorting a transport back to base, how may we be of assistance?"

Poe fumbled with the transceiver for a moment then hit the response button.

"Yeah, uh . . . I have a prisoner here on Tatooine and am in need of transport."

"I verify that you have a prisoner in custody and are in need of transport back to base."

"That is correct."

"We are now heading your way, General; be there in thirty minutes, over."

"Copy that. Dameron out."

Poe ran a hand through his thick black curls with a tired sigh as if he was still trying to process it all. "Whoever's piloting that transport is gonna have a _whilk_ when they see we've got Kylo Ren-"

"_Ben_."

"What?" Finn and Poe asked in unison, turning their attention back to their apparently erstwhile enemy.

"My name is Ben Solo." His voice was quiet but very firm.

Finn did sense that there was something completely different about Kylo Ren, not only in his body language and expression but in the Force aura he gave off. That was what had so confused Finn when he sensed him through Rey's front door.

But Finn held on to his anger and swiftly tamped down any doubt. Ren may have fooled sweet, trusting Rey, but he would _not_ fool Finn.

"You'll always be Kylo Ren to me," he muttered darkly.

* * *

Author's Note: I weaved in a few hints that tie into the Poe/Phasma fic, "Furlough" that's still in progress on , just in case there was any confusion. I feel bad for Finn. He feels like the odd one out in the series, they didn't do enough with him.


End file.
